Speakers at the Society for Computers and Law's April meeting called for an acceleration of the Government's roll-out of electronic conveyancing, saying the sooner it is totally operational, the greater the benefits will be for both law firms and clients.

Jan Boothroyd, the co-ordinator of the National Land Information Service (NLIS), reported that the NLIS hub had handled about 559,000 searches to date and is processing around 66,000 per month, with the NLIS helpdesk receiving about 11 calls an hour.

Boothroyd also attacked the performance of companies unaffiliated to NLIS that store and recycle information to provide 'personal search' facilities.

She said: "Electronic working, using data from source providers such as local authorities, is the only way forward. There will be very little place for personal searches in the e-world. Only local authorities can provide up-to-date information on matters relating to their intended actions."

David Parton, a conveyancing partner at Shoosmiths Property Direct, said conducting searches online dramatically cuts the time lawyers take to process a property transaction. He said: "The more law firms that adopt these beneficial technologies, the quicker local authorities will become in making the required upgrades."

Tameside Council has become the first local authority in the UK to make all 800 of its public services available online, two years ahead of the Government deadline.